LinuxQuestions.org
Welcome to the most active Linux Forum on the web.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Security
User Name
Password
Linux - Security This forum is for all security related questions.
Questions, tips, system compromises, firewalls, etc. are all included here.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 12-01-2005, 11:43 AM   #1
klipp
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Aug 2005
Location: Guadalajara, Mexico
Distribution: Mandrake, Suse
Posts: 3

Rep: Reputation: 0
SuSE 10.- How to eliminate root password


Could someone please tell me how to eliminate the use of a password for "root". Mandrake has this as an option in their distributions but I've been unable to recreate it in SuSE.
Thanks, and I'm well aware of the security consequenses of doing this.
 
Old 12-01-2005, 11:47 AM   #2
reddazz
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Nov 2003
Location: N. E. England
Distribution: Fedora, CentOS, Debian
Posts: 16,298

Rep: Reputation: 77
Mandriva doesn't really eliminate this. It just puts all users in the wheel group so that they can run everything with root privileges. Obviously you know the security implications of this, but I fail to understand why you would need to let everyone run with all root privileges.
 
Old 12-01-2005, 12:29 PM   #3
Gsidious
Member
 
Registered: Nov 2005
Location: Oregon
Distribution: Ubuntu
Posts: 64

Rep: Reputation: 17
Just wondering, Why would you want to eliminate the root password?!? Anyway, open a terminal & as "root" type "passwd". You will be prompted for the password, just hit the Enter key twice. No more password for root. Now disconnect all network connections and lock the machine in the closet! You should NOT disable the root password if this machine has Any public exposure, (internet, next door neighbor kids...), "root" user should have a good strong password. Well, you say that you know the security issues involved, so it's your machine. Ok, one more option, if you're after a "password-less login" look at the file /etc/sysconfig/displaymanager there is an option for 'DISPLAYMANAGER_AUTOLOGIN=', you should be able to add root there, DISPLAYMANAGER_AUTOLOGIN="root". You might need to play with some other options there, but I think that would be all that would be required for an auto-login as root. One last time, this is not recommended! but hope this helps...
 
Old 12-01-2005, 12:43 PM   #4
sundialsvcs
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Feb 2004
Location: SE Tennessee, USA
Distribution: Gentoo, LFS
Posts: 11,201
Blog Entries: 4

Rep: Reputation: 4123Reputation: 4123Reputation: 4123Reputation: 4123Reputation: 4123Reputation: 4123Reputation: 4123Reputation: 4123Reputation: 4123Reputation: 4123Reputation: 4123
Even though you may consider it "inconvenient" to actually use the security features of your Linux system ... to be bound by them yourself, I submit for your consideration that it is you, most of all, who need to be (voluntarily) thusly bound in your day-to-day activities.

Why? Because would-be intruders know that system administrators are lazy! And, they exploit that knowledge... They want to find the Ring Bearer. They wantsssssss it...

Most of the time, your "role" on the system is equal to that of an ordinary user. And so, that is exactly what you should be. Not a member of wheel.

When you are maintaining the system, you should have a separate user-account for that role. This account, even so, "is not root." It may be the only account on the system that is authorized to su into root-mode. This account probably is a member of wheel, and probably should be the only one.

Remember that any program that you run, runs as "you." Even if you are the Lord of the Rings, keep the One Ring in your pocketsesssss....
 
Old 12-01-2005, 02:31 PM   #5
klipp
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Aug 2005
Location: Guadalajara, Mexico
Distribution: Mandrake, Suse
Posts: 3

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 0
Single user Lan, trying to "meld" the good features of both SuSE 10 and Mandriva 2006. The passwd and "enter" twice doesn't get it for logging in to a terminal as "su" like it does with Mandrake. This is what I would like to duplicate.
Thanks all, for you're responses!
 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
How could normal user obtain root password or change root password ckamheng Debian 18 02-18-2009 10:28 PM
Lost Suse 8.0 Root Password 12jewels SUSE / openSUSE 3 03-31-2005 02:58 PM
lost root´s password on SuSE 9.0 Adrian13 Linux - Networking 13 11-27-2004 01:06 AM
SuSE 9.1 Pro Root Password scottieanded Linux - Newbie 2 08-02-2004 09:32 PM
Changing root password of Mandrake with SuSE CD. leenux Linux - Newbie 2 03-20-2004 06:54 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Security

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:01 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration